Loose lay vinyl flooring is designed to be laid without any adhesive and relies on its weight and the friction between the floor and the planks to stay in place. Here are the pros and cons of loose lay vinyl flooring:
Pros:
- Easy to install: Loose lay vinyl flooring is very easy to install, as it does not require any adhesive. That said, some glue assist is often recommended
- Warm and Quiet: Loose lay vinyl flooring is known for being quiet underfoot and often a little warmer than SPC vinyl
- Cost-effective repair: Loose lay vinyl flooring is the easiest vinyl to replace when a plank is damaged. It is a fabulous option for rental units or higher risk situations that a small number of planks can be damaged. Very easy to pull an old plank up and replace (as there is no click lock to deal with and either no glue or less glue in a glue assist situation)
Cons:
- Not 100% waterproof: Loose lay vinyl flooring is not suitable for areas that are exposed to moisture, as the planks are not attached to each other
- May shift over time: Since it relies on friction to stay in place, loose lay vinyl flooring may shift over time. Glue assist helps solve this
- 5mm is the common thickness, so it is more expensive than 2mm or 3mm dry back vinyl product
- Limited visual options. This product type is less popular than rigid core options so the colour options are much less
